Chronicles of the Black Relics Vol 1: The Tome of Sacred Flames
by willprominence
Summary: Mostly inspired by several games. The setting are largely inspired by Stronghold (Firefly Studios), while the protagonists are your usual Knights and Warriors in most MMOs and some of its portions are based on Aion (NCsoft). The story follows a group of adventurers who were unexpectedly brought together to embark on a mission to save the world from demon invasions. 2/9 Episodes
1. Kingdom of Light

Author's note: This story was actually first written by me ten years ago when I was in high school, where I had originally titled the story "The Orb of Sacred Flames". At that time, I wrote a bulk of the story in pencil, so much of the original was either gone or faded now. During its writing, I had often let my schoolmates read it and feedback how they would like its continuation and ending to be, and it turned out to be quite a success in my class. We decided to host it on blogspot, but unfortunately we didn't really finish uploading the whole story. Its sequel, "The Spirit Sword" also didn't made it in time as we had our final year exams, and in the end I had stopped writing altogether. After reading a couple of humourous stories on fanfiction, I decided to reboot the series, with a large overhaul to the original story. Instead of the original Orbs, I have decided to change it to Tomes in the story as it made slightly more sense during the sequel. CAUTION: This story was written as a fantasy novel than a short story. I took a couple of months or so to finish writing it back then, so do not expect to finish it very quickly. However, it is an easy read for say..an hour or two. I hope you will enjoy, and please, if you would like to share this story, feel free to do so! However, any commercial use for this story, intended or otherwise, will require my approval.

 **Episode 1: Kingdom of Light**

Dazzling rays of sunlight beamed down upon the pale white marble exteriors of Castle Riverfall. Lord Ardor waited atop his horse at its gate, blinking briefly at the illumination and couldn't help wondering again how the engineers managed to plan and build the splendid capital of the Kingdom of Renegard. Despite its relatively small area, the castle is built right on top of the cliff facing the Great Paul river, which meant that the engineers had to compensate for the slanted features and limited surface of the cliff. The result was an upright triangle-shaped fortress, with great round towers protecting its exterior corners, except for that facing the river where the keep is situated. Due to the nature of its position, the only entry to the castle could only be made from the main gate of the castle, making it an excellent defensive structure. King Aeric, the ruler of the kingdom, awaited within for his favourite marshal to arrive.

Normally, Ardor would be tending to his own estate to the east of the castle at the kingdom's borders, managing the garrison to fight off the barbaric nomad tribes and protect the citizens of Renegard. As the marshal, he had the privilege of commanding all the armed forces of Renegard, which meant his power extended further to the other territories of the kingdom if the need arises. Being the kingdom's military commander, Ardor is only summoned should there be any need for armed conflict against other nations. Since the peace treaty signed with the neighbour Kingdom of Torin five years ago, there has not been any major military campaigns and most armed conflicts have since then reduced. Yet today, he was summoned by the King, which made him worried that there will be war once again. Ardor chose to wear a simple light chain armour to hasten his trip to the castle and find out what was going on.

The guards at the gates gave a salute as Ardor passed through the portcullis, hailing the war veteran. Ardor briefly saluted back while his horse made a slow trot towards the castle keep. Beyond the gates was a marbled walkway leading to various military and economic infrastructures to the sides, and the entrance to the keep straight to the front. Ardor attentively watched the group of soldiers training at the barracks. Melee soldiers wore their full armour, training basic spear strikes and shield maneuvers as their commander gave the orders. A platoon of unarmoured troops were jogging around the camp, shouting warcries as they went. The last group of soldiers were archers, some of whom are practising shots at practice targets, while others were training with their swords.

Three men were watching the training progress. Two were fully armoured with metal grey plate armours, holding spears and shields at ready. They wore a draping around the neck with the king's coat of arms imprinted on it: a lion clambering onto a kite shield. Ardor immediately recognised them as the king's guard, who were among the veterans who served alongside him during the previous war with the Kingdom of Torin. They were the sturdiest members of the king's army, commanded by the officer right under Ardor himself, Legatus Riggs. During the war, they protected the King where ever he went during the campaign, earning them the nickname "The King's Shield". Although Ardor was the commanding officer of Riggs and The King's Shield, the king usually directed them himself since Ardor is always needed at the frontline, allowing Ardor to freely maneuver during the campaign without distraction.

Ardor eyed at the third man, who wore no armour, but was armed with a sword. The sword's hilt was intricately designed with several coloured gems. The man was completely facing the trainees so Ardor could not make out who the man was, but he had a wavy auburn hair, which is rarely seen in the kingdom. Intrigued about the unknown spectator, Ardor attempted to move over and ask about the foreigner. However, one of the King's Shield slightly bent his head towards the spectator and said something, causing him to nod and they slowly marched into the keep. Ardor followed the trio, still puzzled about the stranger's origins.

Escorted by the King's Shields, the trio were not slowed down by the keep's guards, and they headed into the halls. Ardor came up beside the guard, who was wearing a chain armour and a tan cape. The guard looked into his face and immediately recognised the marshal, and assisted Ardor to dismount. The guard then saluted and pulled the horse's reins to walk it to the stables. Ardor smiled and continued inside the keep, which unlike the bright landscape outside, was dimmed and required the use of candles on several candelabra hanging on the ceiling. The hall's floor was carpeted in red, designed with tiled patterns of the coat of arms. Unlike most other castle keeps, Castle Riverfall was designed to be simple and elegant, so there were not many rooms within its keep. The king's chambers were situated on the second floor of the keep, accessible via a stairs to the back of the hall. Below, the cook and stewards busied themselves in the kitchen, or else resting in their own rooms. A spiral staircase was situated at the side, allowing scouts and defenders to access the roof of the keep easily. However, in the halls where Ardor is standing now, only a couple of long tables and a throne sat in the room. King Aeric sat on the throne at the moment, visibly frowning while talking to the stranger. The King's Shields have retreated to the sides of the throne. None occupied the long tables as it is right in the middle of the day and meals were not expected till evening.

Ardor stood rooted at the entrance, awaiting for the King to summon him forward. Another guard walked towards the King and announced his arrival. Slowly, the king turned towards Ardor and gave a brief smile.

"Ah my dear Ardor, come forth!".

Ardor gently replied, "Yes sire", and walked slowly towards the throne, then kneeled before his king just beside the foreigner. "My greetings to you, my liege".

"Rise".

Ardor stood up, still facing his king as he dared not look at the stranger without his king's approval.

The king gestured to the stranger. "This is Sir Delfric, a warrior from the Western Kingdoms. And this is Lord Ardor, one of my best fighters as well as military commanders on the field". Ardor turned to see the stranger's face and saw a young and energetic face. Unlike the people of Renegard who had black pupils, Delfric had bright green eyes that shone charismatically. Ardor bowed slightly to acknowledge the stranger, as Delfric did the same.

"Now Ardor, I know you will be interested in why Delfric is standing here. I shall reveal in due time. However, I would like to see you duel with Delfric", the king mused.

Lord Ardor turned to face the king once again and saw consent in his eyes. Unsure of what the king was planning, Ardor bowed and stepped back to give space to his opponent. Delfric did likewise, also looking a bit wary.

The king looked at Delfric and said, "I would like to find out about your combat prowess. You may choose any fighting style you see fit. The first to knock down his opponent wins".

Delfric's eyes widened slightly and he replied, "Very well, my lord. Lord Ardor, are you ready?"

Ardor drew his longsword and gave a salute. "Ready."

Delfric took out his weapon from its sheathe, its intricate gems radiated the lights from the candles. Ardor took a moment to admire the various gems and made out rubies, sapphires and emeralds. The gems were socketed into the hilt in a circular pattern, its edges reflecting the colours brightly. Delfric saluted and Ardor eased into his combat stance.


	2. The Magiknight

**Episode 2: The Magiknight**

Delfric raised his sword above his arm, positioning such that he could easily plunge forward. On the other hand, Ardor favoured holding his longsword in front of him, being easily able to hit and fend as needed. Ardor observed that Delfric had a smaller stature, which possibly meant that he was a speedy fighter. The two duelists circled each other, neither making any move as they watched and observed each other's stance.

Ardor figured that if Delfric was agile enough, he would be able to perform thrusting strikes quickly to overwhelm him in no time. The only way to measure Delfric's speed was to attack first. In a quick fluid motion, Ardor stepped quickly towards Delfric, raising his sword to perform a downward strike. In response, Delfric lunged his blade forward, aiming for the shoulder. Knowing that the blade will reach him before he can strike the foe, Ardor turned his body, his weapon brushing off Delfric's blade and he made a shoulder barge into Delfric. Being lighter in weight, Delfric was knocked back but remained standing and began a barrage of light cuts against Ardor in a furious momentum.

Though slower in movement, Ardor's eyes have seen enough combat to see through the feints and strikes and he managed to match the young warrior's speed, parrying each strike his foe launched at him. Undeterred, Delfric yelled his warcry and did an overhead slash, causing Ardor to step back to prevent a blow to his head.

Suddenly, the gems on Delfric's blade began to glow as if radiating light on its own. Delfric pointed his blade at Ardor and uttered, "Arvin fira lavo". The blade's metal began to burn as fiery flames spewed from the hilt. The gems were now shining a bright red in spite of their natural colours. Delfric waved his sword in a horizontal arc, causing the flames to move in a fireball-like projectile. Stunned, Ardor weaved his sword to catch the projectile, slicing through it and causing the flames to dissipate. Delfric continued slashing the air before him, creating a series of fire strikes at Ardor.

 _So, Delfric is a mage fighter_ , Ardor thought to himself. Now understanding his opponent's tactics, Ardor performed defensive strikes to parry each fire attacks as he drew closer to Delfric. Realising that he is about to lose ground, Delfric raised his left hand, pushing his palm outwards and shouted, "Fora Vox!"

An unseen force caught Ardor by surprise as he was pushed back almost as if a horse was charging at him, causing him to rapidly step backwards. Unwilling to give up, Ardor found his balance, but fumbled his sword in the process. Delfric grabbed the opportunity to drive home his blade once again at Ardor's shoulder. Being a master of unarmed combat, Ardor reached forward, holding off Delfric's sword arm and did a quick punch at Delfric's face. The strike connected with its intended target, stunning Delfric briefly and Ardor immediately gripped Delfric around the neck and wrestled him to the ground.

Delfric gave a yell as he thumped to the floor under the immense force Ardor was pressing him on. Recognising his victory, Ardor let go of his grip and stepped back, bowing as he said, "My apologies, thank you for this duel".

Delfric coughed slightly as he looked up at Ardor with a frown, before he relaxed and answer, "Your reputation precedes you, Lord Ardor. You truly are a marvelous fighter."

The king rose from his throne as Delfric slowly stood up. "Now, no offence meant, Sir Delfric. You have fought well". Delfric bowed as the king continued, "Ardor, this is the situation. Sir Delfric is a Magiknight from the Western Kingdoms, as you have no doubt realised it yourself. The Magiknight Corps are the Western Kingdoms' defence lines, but they now require our aid for an important mission".

Ardor listened intently and inquired with a frown on his face, "What assistance do you require, Sir Delfric? Surely, as your army is more versatile than ours, I do not see that you need our military aid."

"We require a skilled warrior to help us navigate in the Kingdom of Renegard to locate a magical artifact," Delfric answered. "A few years ago, the Archmagi of the Western Kingdoms, High Lord Numor, prophesied that demons will emerge from the Underworld and begin a conquest on all that lives on this earth. He said that when the king's reign ended, a comet will appear and the seals that prevent the demons from coming into our world will be broken and when the sun disappears from the skies, the demons would have succeeded in their conquest. A week ago, King Ragan succumbed to illness and he had no heir. Lord Mustang is currently the steward of the Western Kingdoms, while the nobles bicker over the throne and we were all worried that this will come true."

Ardor looked at the young warrior in disbelief and turned to his king, "Sire. I'm a man of war, not fairy tales. Do you believe in this story?"

King Aeric sighed and gave Ardor a stern look, "I know you do not believe in his story. I wasn't sure of it myself at first, but there's been a situation". The king paused, choosing his words carefully, "We have had a demon incursion."

Ardor's eyes became wide as he spoke, "What? Why was I not informed of it?".

Sir Delfric quickly answered on the king's behalf, "Because your troops did not make it. As I rode here from my lands, I sensed foul magic. Someone has been allowing demons to enter into our world. I traced its magic and found a scout detachment dead near the Umber Swamp. Their bodies lay there, and I found much of the bodies missing. Something ate them."

At this, Ardor shuddered. _What sorcery is this?!_

Delfric looked clearly uncomfortable as he continued, "I burned the bodies, and continued hunting the trail. And then I saw it. It was a strong one, but alone. I managed to sneak up behind and dealt a fatal blow. Perhaps by fate, I knew I needed proof for my tale, and here it is. Unfortunately, I couldn't figure out where it came from, but I can guess that the entrance is probably somewhere near the swamp. I took its head and brought it to the king yesterday."

The king picked up from here, "I've sent a company to investigate the Umber Swamp. Hopefully, we can find out what happened in there."

Ardor nodded, still unclear of the strange events that happened. "So what about this artifact you mentioned. What do you need it for?"

Delfric resumed his tale, "Before he died, High Lord Numor wrote in his diary that his scrying crystal revealed that the future can be saved and the demons will be driven back from this land if we can find a lost relic called 'The Tome of Sacred Flames'. A mage of the Lutni Order must read the incantation to seal the demons. He also wrote that the Tome's location is somewhere near the Mardar Cliffs."

"Mardar Cliffs is a difficult place to traverse," Ardor said. "If we ride north, we should reach it in two days, but locating your tome in this place is going to be difficult. Did the Archmagi mentioned any specific location at Mardar Cliffs?"

"Yes, though not very specific to be exact," Delfric answered as he pulled a piece of torn yellowed paper from his garb. "At midnight, upon the eternal sun's light, water shall rise up from the earth and on this reckoning, the entrance shall open its way".

Ardor once again gave a confused look, thinking through the words of the riddle, but couldn't make sense of it. Finally, he gave up and thought about the other matters. "You said you needed a skilled warrior to guide you, and then we need a mage of the...what Order?"

Delfric responded, "The Lutni Order. They are a group of skilled magicians who use Nature magics in the Western Kingdoms. We normally call them druids. Before I made my way here, I called upon them and they said they will assist us once we have located the Tome."

"And now regarding a skilled warrior, I have decided to send you, Ardor," King Aeric interjected.

Ardor blinked and looked at his liege. "Me? Sire, if a demon invasion is to happen, surely I should stay here to command our forces to counterattack?"

"IF a demon invasion is to happen, we will all be dead!" The king answered. "Whatever happens, we should do our best to prevent the invasion instead. Besides, you saw what happened earlier. You were able to take down one who uses magics and blades. My guards couldn't do that. You are the best man for the job."

"Legatus Riggs will temporarily take over command of the Kingdom's core forces. I have sent word to advise the other nobles and their people to abandon their settlements for now and fall back to Fort Ragnar. Legatus Harfor is overseeing the defence of the fort," King Aeric announced. "Now you, my friend. You shall be the hero of our times and assist Sir Delfric with his quest."

Lord Ardor saluted to his liege. Delfric bowed and asked Ardor, "My lord, I am ready to leave when you are."

Ardor smiled, "Let us rest for today, and we shall set off tomorrow". Turning to King Aeric, he inquired, "Sire, may I ask for some men to aid in our mission?"

The king scratched his chin and nodded, "Since you may need some time to find the Tome, it may be best to have extra eyes to unravel the riddle. I shall give you two of my guards. Hakom! Duran!"

One of the King's Shields stepped from behind the throne to the front and faced the king. Another man wearing chain armour and a tan cape ran in from the hall's entrance and came beside the Shield, awaiting the king's orders. Ardor recognised the man as the one who brought his horse to the stables earlier.

Facing the Shield, King Aeric said, "Duran. I give you leave to escort Lord Ardor and Sir Delfric in his quest." The Shield bowed and answered in a deep voice, "I will not fail you, Sire".

Turning to the other man, the king continued, "Hakom. Fetch a horse for yourself and Duran. Report to Master Dux about your assignment, then make preparations to leave tomorrow."

Hakom mirrored Duran's response and the king looked satisfied.

"Now," King Aeric boomed. "Go rest, all of you. Tomorrow, your quest shall begin."


End file.
